Several times in the past years I have considered taking this module, but was appalled by the amount of projects and assignments needed to be done for this course. given a science student I am. However here I am, taking this course in my final semester in NUS. That goes to show effective communication skills is essential, especially if one, like myself, is going to enter the pool of unemployed adults to compete for a position that gives a good salary.
I assume like most of my fellow course mates, we feel it is necessary to be able to communicate effectively, and that includes the verbal and non-verbal aspects. Communication, being the foundation of human relationships, can easily strengthen or destroy them. Whether it is interactions with colleagues or just quality time with friends and family, no one would want to convey the wrong messages.
Speaking in front of a group of people is hard; even an experienced speaker may stutter at times. Confidence plays a big role in public speaking, and it has to be developed. Through practice, I hope I will be able to present my ideas to a crowd successfully. I know public speaking is not my strong suit and I have been avoiding opportunities of presentations, if I can. However in the working world, presentations are inevitable. Since there are no ways of avoiding it, might as well confront it and I might learn something out of it!
Completely mastering the skills to effective communication is rather impossible, but I'm pretty sure at the end of the course Brad would definitely have drilled the basics into us! Let's just sit back and enjoy the ride :)
Sup Zoe,
ReplyDeleteIt seems that you think effective communication is your pot of gold and the key to success in all fronts of your life. You are making it sound as if it is the alpha and omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, or so it can be inferred.
The thing Zoe, and I'm not sure if you are cognizant or conscious---you have hit Jackpot! You couldn't have said it better. I couldn't agree with you more too. The mastery of every aspect of life begins with some degree of mastery of respective communication; similarly the demise of every aspect of life also begins with the end of or malfunction of some degree of communication. Wouldnt you say likewise, my good Zoe.
In fact, language is the most powerful instrument of all time because it is the privileged access key to some or full understanding of almost anything from cultural lores to ways of life and individual preferences and peculiarities in thought, action speech and writing. In brief, language is means through which an agent accesses or is accessed by another, which is why the first thing any newborn is taught or learns is some form of basic language---both sign (non-verbal in any form imaginable) and linguistic (verbal in most speech-sound form). That is the first proof that every aspect of life must both start and end in communication, starting with birth.
In a nutshell, professional communication is ubiquitous because it is defaulted to be like so. If it has to be required in one civilization, it has to be required in another with the added requirement that it must be likewise also be present in every other point of time and space in every sphere, variety and creature of living.(yea it works for ants and lions all the same)
20 Tosses
Hey Zoe!
ReplyDeleteFrom my interaction with you in class, I would say that you are doing great in developing your confidence! Do have trust in yourself and I hope we can hone our public speaking skills together through this exciting module! :D
Hwee Teng
Thank you, Zoe, for the clear, concise post. I'm glad that though you were appalled in the past, you've ended up here, ready to confront the heavy load thanks to your imminent needs in the work world.
ReplyDeleteI also had to chuckle when I got to the end of this post and you mentioned that I would be drilling such and such into you. I had images of me the dentist, with a drill in my hand, or me the drill sergeant, and you an army recruit dressed in battle fatigues and arching goose step.
You mention midway through how "Communication, being the foundation of human relationships, can easily strengthen or destroy them." The "destroy" part sounds a bit alarmist, though I know what you are getting at. I do feel that eventually you manage to focus this post well on your future needs. Hopefully we can address those needs in a way that you enjoy and that isn't so taxing. At least at present you still seem to have a smile on your face!
Heyy Mark,
ReplyDeleteThanks for replying to my post! It is true that I'm aware of the importance of effective communication, thats why I'm taking this module. Being one that avoided presentation-based modules with my life since I've started studying in NUS, it takes quite some courage to take this module, of course with the advice of my friends.
I don't know if you are aware, but you do like to use a wide vocabulary of words in your posts. I for one, do have to take some time to slowly digest them. Nonetheless its a way for me to pick up new words after not studying English for so long!
Heyy Hwee Ting,
ReplyDeleteIts weird but I speak just fine within friends, but put me in front of a crowd and I'll need a lot more practice to speak fluently and present my points well. But thanks for the encouragement and I'm sure we'll learn many things in this module :)